An Offer to Talk
by BlushinRosie
Summary: Hermione is in America after the war and Steve stumbles upon her in the park.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N** This takes place a month or two after the final battle in the Harry Potter Universe and sometime between Steve being unfrozen and the Avengers movie in the Marvelverse. And yes, I know the timelines don't match up.

**Disclaimer: **Anything you recognize, I don't own.

**An Offer to Talk**

She down on a wooden park bench. The sun was just coming up and the grass behind her was still wet with dew. Not that she had touched it, but there was that fresh grass scent in the air. She sighed and leaned to put her head in her hands. She wasn't sure what she was doing here, in America and not at home in England. She just knew that she couldn't stay with the Weasley's and that England and really Europe too, was too close. There was too much loss, too much expectation, and too much… she wasn't sure she really knew.

How do you come to grips with a society that hunted you down like dogs for months, but now exalted you as a national hero? It didn't make her happy, it just made her angry. Where were all these people when she was starving or when Bellatrix was carving her up? The newspaper headlines were enough to give her whiplash. It wasn't just the Wizarding government either, the muggle one was also lauding her as a hero.

Going out in public was an exercise in nerves, it was true nobody had attacked her, but there were still bigot's and sympathizers walking free and in England it only felt like a matter of time before someone got to her or sent her a deadly curse through the post or a myriad of other harmful scenarios.

And now, even with all the loss and despair in their world, because nothing was back to normal yet Ronald bloody Weasley was pressuring her into marriage or at the very least into sex. She just wasn't ready for that. She'd spent a lot of time fantasizing about a relationship with him during Hogwarts, but after he left her and Harry in the woods, those dreams were shattered. He would never be able to live up to her expectations now. During the final battle when they had kissed it wasn't right. It was lackluster, sloppy, and fueled solely by adrenalin. She was pretty sure that ship had sailed.

Steve Rogers was taking his early morning run around the city. There was hardly anyone out in the park, which made it an ideal time for a run since it was quiet and tranquil. It was just his legs pounding against the concrete, his heart beating, and steady breathing to break the quiet.

Around the next corner he was startled to see someone sitting on a park bench in the distance. She, at least he was pretty sure it was a she; there was just some current trends he still didn't understand like men with long hair. She was dressed conservatively in neutrals. She was staring out at the park blankly and there wasn't really anything to suggest it, but he just knew she was a soldier.

He wouldn't normally stop his run for anything short of the apocalypse or at least an alien invasion but he really thought she might just need a friend or at least a good listener. He knew all about war, trauma and burdens halved and if he could help one lost soldier then it was worth the break in his run.

He slowed to a walk until he reached the bench. He sat on the other end of the bench so as not to startle the woman. She glanced over without turning her head. Now that he was up close he could see she was young, younger than he initially thought. For a moment he wondered if she had been sent home wounded, it would certainly explain the jaded look in her eye.

"What branch did you serve in?" He turned earnest blue eyes on her.

Hermione frowned. Branch, what did he mean? This man looked nothing like a wizard, so he shouldn't know her. He was tall and well-built and he looked exactly like a stereotypical American World War II soldier. Oh, military branch, that's what he meant.

She gave a wry grin. "It wasn't like that, it was an underground war. There were no ranks, just outnumbered rebels fighting a madman."

He winced. No wonder she looked so disillusioned, civilians didn't have the support that the military had, though he was in no way saying any soldier had it easy. "How long were you involved in the conflict?"

"Since I was eleven." She waved a hand, "But it didn't heat up until I was fifteen and it ended this past year."

He raised his brows. He didn't know what an eleven year old could do in a war, even an underground one, but it was awfully young. "What are you doing here and not back home renewing acquaintances and settling down?" he asked as delicately as he could.

She let out a huff of breathe, "The papers for one, I'm sick of having lies and speculation written down as fact. I- I'm not ready to settle yet, I don't know what I want and" she paused, hesitant to continue, "I'm angry."

He cocked his head waiting for her to continue.

Her jaw tightened as she spoke, her delicate British accent harsh as she shared her frustration. "All these people who are congratulating me, sending me thank you cards would have turned me in to be tortured and killed only a few weeks ago without a second thought."

Steve leaned in and stared directly at her, "Not everyone is strong enough to stand up for what they believe, sometimes they need someone to do it for them. I don't know what you did, I don't keep up with the foreign papers, but it sounds as if you did something extraordinarily brave. That's even rarer to be strong enough to do that; very few people have the strength of character to be real heroes."

He paused and then continued with a good-natured grin, "As for the media, if I knew how to fix that I'd gladly tell you."

Hermione let out a soft chuckle as she stood. He stood as well and she had to look up to several inches to meet his eyes. "Thanks," she said sincerely.

"No problem and if you decide to turn your vacation into a permanent stay and you need a job…" He took out a pen and notebook and scribbled something down. He tore the sheet from the notebook and handed it to her. "Give me a call; I might be able to help."

She tucked the paper into her pocket and smiled, "Thanks Mr. Rogers." With a wave she walked down the park path. He watched her for a second before turning the other way and restarting his run. He wasn't sure Fury would like it that he'd recruited a foreigner that he knew next to nothing about, but if she gave him a call back he'd do his best to give her a shot with S.H.I.E.L.D. He was rarely wrong about people and he thought the shady organization could use a few more honest people like her.

**A/N **Thanks for reading!

BlushinRosie


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N** This takes place a month or two after the final battle in the Harry Potter Universe and sometime between Steve being unfrozen and the Avengers movie in the marvelverse. And yes, I know the timelines don't match up.

**Disclaimer: **Anything you recognize, I don't own.

**Chapter 2**

Steve fumbled with his phone for a second until he found the green answer call button. He still hadn't gotten the hang of all this technology. "Hello, Steve Rogers speaking."

"Hello, Mr. Rogers. It's Hermione Granger. We spoke a couple of weeks ago in the Park," came a slightly nervous voice over the phone. Although he had not caught her name last time, he recognized her soft British accent right away.

"That's right I never caught your name. What can I do for you Miss Granger?"

"I decided to make my stay long term and you mentioned that you might know of a job…"

He picked up where she trailed off, "I did. Let me take down your name and number and I'll get you an interview."

He cradled the phone between his head and shoulder as he scrimmaged around for a pen in his apartment. "What made you decide to stay?"

"Honestly? The opportunity to start fresh."

Steve smiled gently, "It's one of the best things about America Miss."

Hermione laughed, "I see I'm about to be treated to your American's infamous patriotism from you Mr. Rogers."

He let out a short chuckle, "One of the other good things about America I assure you."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

He found one and grabbed a pad of paper. "Is your last name spelled A-I or with only an A?"

"Just an A," she answered.

He looked at the screen of his phone to check the number. "And is this the best number to reach you at?"

"Yes it is."

"Great. I'll call you back within the next few days with details."

He could hear the earnestness in her voice as she spoke, "Sounds good and thank you again. I really appreciate it."

"No problem. Goodbye."

"Bye," she said and then hung up.

Steve ran a hand through his short blond hair. Now he had to tell Fury and worse he had to get Fury to approve. He was going to get yelled at. No, he was going to get yelled at a lot. He'd best get himself over to the office, before Fury found out through whichever way he was probably bugging his apartment.

When he got to Shield headquarters he was greeted by Agent Hill, "Hello Captain, Fury's in his office waiting for you." She had a small smirk on her face and it only increased his dread.

If Steve was a lesser man he would have gulped, but as it was he just walked straight and tall and tried not to look cowed as he entered Nick Fury's office instead.

Fury was sitting at his desk when he walked in. There were a lot of glass windows in the office, so the whole room was well lit. Steve waited while Fury finished reading over a document. He hadn't looked up when he first walked in the room and even though Steve knew it was a tactic to make him more nervous he could still feel the anxiety welling in his stomach.

Though Fury wasn't looking at him he could feel his disapproving looks as if they were leveled at him full force. Fury moved the paper he was reading toward right side of his desk, folded his hands and finally looked at him. Though, he was typically a taciturn man, Steve thought that he looked particularly unhappy. His frown was more pronounced and his eyes had a cold quality about them.

"I hope that you were talking about a job at the coffee house when you offered that woman an interview." There was something like a warning in his voice as he spoke.

Steve shifted on his heels, but shook his head no.

"So this Hermione Granger, spelled with only an A, do you even know anything about her?" He didn't wait for an answer before he continued, "We don't know what you told her about the agency and for all we know she is could be an assassin or a spy, because we know next to nothing about this Granger woman."

Instead of feeling ashamed, Steve felt indignant. He knew he was an excellent judge of character and the woman he had met a few weeks ago was not a spy or an assassin. He just knew she was a good person, like he knew he was Captain America and Nick Fury was an unmitigated bastard. "I didn't tell her anything about the agency. I just offered to see if I could get her a job if she decided to stay in the country after I met her in the park."

"You're sure you didn't say anything?"

Steve sighed, "I didn't and she didn't even appear to know who I was. I approached her rather than the other way around."

Fury appeared mollified, though it was hard to tell since he still looked disapproving. "That doesn't change the fact that we know next to nothing about her."

Steve tilted his head. "What do you mean you? I thought you had records on everyone." And to Steve, Hermione sounded like the kind of person who had lots of information stored away about them. Granted she likely wasn't a public figure like Tony Stark, but it sounded like she was getting hounded by the media fairly often recently.

A pinched look came over his face. "Her file is all blacked out. All we know about this Hermione Granger is that she's nineteen, was born in Crawley, England, and has the highest award given to civilians from the British government. There isn't even a picture. Even the directors haven't been able to access her information."

Steve had a flash of understanding. "Oh this isn't about the fact that I recruited someone. In fact you probably even want her on your side if she has that high of a distinction. You are just upset she's managed to evade the agency."

When Fury didn't comment Steve knew he had hit the nail on the head. He sighed, "Look I really think she'd be a good fit. Just give her an interview and if you are worried about an intelligence leak or something then interview her over lunch at one of the cafes nearby."

He stared out with his one good eye at Steve and looked thoughtful or at the very least less hostile. "Tomorrow at noon and bring her here."

"What should I tell her about the position?"

His brow rose sardonically. "Well if she's as good as you think she is we'll find a place for her."

Which basically meant don't tell her anything, because there was nothing to tell. If she got the job it would be in whatever field fit her best.

"Alright I'll give her a call and escort her here tomorrow. If that's all?"

Fury nodded and made a shooing motion with his hand.

Once he was out of the building, he flipped open his phone and scrolled through the recent calls menu. He found her number and hit the dial button.

She answered quickly, "Hello."

"Hey it's Steve Rogers. I got you that interview for tomorrow at noon. Does that work for you?" He started towards the garage where he had parked.

"Noon works for me. Can I ask what kind of job this is? I don't believe you mentioned it."

"It's a government job and I'm not really sure what you'd be doing. If they like you they will find a place for you."

"And they will hire me even though I'm British?" She asked skeptically.

"They hire anyone with the necessary skills."

Suspicion colored her tone. "Well why haven't I heard about this then? I've been looking in the newspaper for jobs for over a week."

Steve was glad that she couldn't see him, since he knew he had a grimace on his face. If she was there then he knew it would be much worse because it was likely he'd also be squirming. She sounded almost as intimidating over the phone as Fury.

He hedged, "It's kind of recommendation only."

There was silence from the other line for a moment, before she answered, "Alright. I'll accept that."

Steve let out a long sigh and the tension drained from his shoulders. "Great. Hey listen I'm guessing you don't have a car or anything yet. If you want I could pick you up and escort you in?" He hated being underhanded, but this would provide him a good reason to bring her in the office without her being too suspicious.

"That would actually be very nice and I would appreciate it," she sounded genuinely surprised by the offer and Steve felt a little guiltier.

"Well I'll see you tomorrow at 11:30 then."

"That sounds great. I really do appreciate the help. Bye," she said and with a click she hung up.

Steve ran a hand through his hair. This was way more complicated than he expected. Fury was not happy about the lack of foreknowledge. He had honestly suspected that there would be tons of information on her if she was appearing in the media, even overseas, but perhaps there was a good reason for it. He shrugged. He would worry about it tomorrow.

The next morning Hermione had dumped out all her clothes from her beaded bag onto her newly acquired bed. She had shifted through them at least twice and had not found anything suitable for an interview. While she had lived like a muggle for many years, she had never gotten the chance to get a muggle summer job or a regular job, so she didn't have many professional clothes on hand.

"Well no helping it now. Guess I'll have to use transfiguration," she mumbled to herself.

She put on a pair of khaki colored dress pants, the only professional piece of clothing she owned and then transfigured a t-shirt into a simple button down shirt.

She tapped her wand to her head and her wild hair smoothed out into tamed curls. She threw on a pair of shoes just as there was a solid knock on the door. She tucked her wand away and strode to the door.

She opened it and stepped out when she saw who she expected on the other side. "Hello, Mr. Rogers," she said brightly.

He smiled at her. "Please call me Steve. I don't think I'm that much older than you." That was slightly a lie. He was twenty five before he was frozen and he was never sure whether to count the seventy years he was frozen in his age or not. He didn't feel ninety five, nor did he look it.

"Please call me Hermione then and no I don't think you are much older than my nineteen. Unless you have superior genes you couldn't be more than twenty eight." Truthfully, Hermione was only nineteen in the muggle world, but because of her time turner use in her third year she had calculated that she was actually just shy of twenty one. However, they weren't going to be able to read her magical signature to figure that out.

Steve laughed softly. Superior genes was a little too close for comfort. There was a large part of him that worried that when she found out he was Captain America, a very public figure that she would be upset or treat him differently. He liked that she joked and talked to him like a regular person rather than Captain America. It was refreshing and if she stuck around or worked for Shield it was likely she would find out sooner rather than later who he was.

They began walking down the stairwell of the building she lived in. "I forgot to mention yesterday that I only have a motorcycle. We still have time to call a cab if you prefer?"

Hermione nearly snorted, after riding a myriad of magical methods of transportation, including brooms, hippogriffs, threstrals, and on one notable occasion a dragon, a motorcycle didn't really scare her. "That's fine as long as you have an extra helmet."

They had reached his bike by then and he handed her a helmet. "This is a really nice bike. Are you a collector? It's not an original I can tell, but it is modeled after the World War II models."

"No, I just liked the old ones and had one modeled after them." She was sharper than he had anticipated, but it wasn't like it was that unusual to have a specialty bike, so there was no harm in admitting it.

"He swung a leg over the vehicle and looked over at her as she put the helmet on. "You've rode a motorcycle before right?"

Hermione knew that as a witch wearing a helmet wasn't really going to make a difference. Neville had more than proven on several occasions that wizards were more resilient than muggles, but for appearance sake she was going to have to wear the helmet. "I've rode on others before." Well in a manner of speaking, it really couldn't be worse than the dragon.

He grinned boyishly at her. She hopped on and placed her hands on his waist. Objectively she did note that he was rather solid underneath his clothing. In fact there was some part of her that whispered that he was unnaturally built, but she dismissed it as the bike roared to life.

On the ride over with the wind in her hair, the warmth of the sun overhead, and the good company she felt the first stirrings of something other than the heavy cloud of anger and depression she had been feeling after the war.

Steve parked in an underground garage and held a hand out to help her off. She took off her borrowed helmet and smiled brightly at him. Steve had known that Hermione was an attractive girl, but when she smiled so happily at him he was momentarily stuck by how young she was. When she wasn't smiling there was something very world-weary and downtrodden about her, but the instant she smiled so freely she looked carefree and dazzling.

He resolved to help her through this; clearly her war experiences were still fresh for her. He could understand that, in fact there were days were WWII was still alarmingly real for him and he knew he was only starting to adjust. He still felt angry and lost, but now it was less about his war experiences and more about being in the wrong time period.

Actually, now that he thought about it that was another thing he liked about Hermione, she was almost a little old fashioned in dress and manner. She didn't bat a lash or get offended when he opened doors or helped her off the motorcycle and her clothing was simple with old fashioned styled details.

When he regained his ability to speak he said, "Come on. I'll walk you in." They walked toward the Shield's building. Hermione slowed her steps as she looked at the building and then took several fast steps to catch up with him.

"You didn't tell me this was an intelligence agency," she said as casually as possible. This was not something she wanted. They were bound to be suspicious about her lack of past. What if this wasn't even an interview? She hated to be as paranoid as Mad-eye, but she couldn't afford to expose herself or the wizarding world right now.

"Why do you think it's an intelligence agency?" he asked surprised. She was right, but he wasn't going to confirm it that easily.

Dispassionately her eyes moved over the building and listed the things she had catalogued as clues. "Understated exterior, high-tech security systems at every entrance, the fact that you are escorting me in, and you mentioned it was a government job. Clearly an intelligence agency. This is an interview not an interrogation right?" She slid her eyes over to him.

He scratched the back of his neck. "It's supposed to be an interview, but I can't promise that they won't want to know about your past. And the director is good at getting information."

She turned severe. "He will just have to learn to live with disappointment then." If Bellatrix Lestrange couldn't get information out of her then there was no way some muggle was going to either.

Steve had to give her credit she continued walking evenly and showed no signs of bolting. The only signs of her distress were the grim look on her face and the darkness in her eyes.

If she ran now that was tantamount to admitting she had something to hide. If she declined the interview that was nearly the same as running. Her only real option was going in and either giving flat out lying or giving no details at all. And somehow she just knew that wasn't going to go over well.

* * *

**A/N:** so I received something like 25 reviews for the first part of this and nearly every single one was a request to continue. I never expected it to be more than a one-shot, but with that many people asking I decided to continue. I'm not sure how good it will be, but I'll update it between the other fic I'm working on.

If anyone has suggestions feel free to leave it in a review or pm me.

Thanks so much for reading.

BlushinRosie


End file.
